His Lordship's Valet
by imnotokaywiththerunning
Summary: Carson makes a new friend.
Carson was still fuming over His Lordship overruling him on keeping Bates on as valet as he readied himself for bed. He had nothing against the man but with his infirmity Carson couldn't see how he could do the job properly. And doing things properly was one of the foundations that Carson had built his life around. It kept him in check. Propriety was the one thing that kept him from remembering his past.

He grunted and roughly tore his tie from his neck as he remembered the indignity of His Lordship actually _chasing_ a blasted car for a servant. A servant! And he had been left to follow after Lord Grantham in humiliating confusion. Then to be told that it wasn't right to sack Mr. Bates as if Lord Grantham had blamed him for the whole debacle. It was too much.

Down to his underthings, Carson grabbed his shaving kit and marched to the bath for a wash. He hoped for their sakes that all of his footmen and hallboys were asleep in bed because he was not in the mood to see anyone and if he did they were going to get the dressing down of a lifetime.

He noticed a light underneath the bathroom door. Carson growled and prepared himself to unleash an unholy fury on whoever had the nerve to be awake at this hour. He ripped the door open to find the object of his anger in the bath. Mr. Bates had his back to the door pouring water over his head. Carson closed his suddenly dry mouth as his eyes followed the water from the top of the valet's head down to his broad shoulders. He gasped and drew the attention of Mr. Bates. Carson stood slack-jawed in the doorway watching as Bates rose from the bath and turned towards him. The valet fixed him with a steady gaze.

"Was there something you wanted, Mr. Carson?" he asked with a small smile.

Carson couldn't help his eyes flicking downwards at the valet's words before he cleared his throat and looked anywhere but at the naked man before him.

"No, Mr. Bates. I'm," he cleared his throat painfully, "I'm sorry for the intrusion."

Carson practically slammed the door in his haste to escape to his bedroom. Once he was safely in his room he leaned heavily against the door and tried to calm his breathing. He looked down and groaned. There was no way Bates hadn't noticed his state. He sank into his chair and let his head fall into his hands.

Oh God, what was he going to do?

Carson felt a draft on his head and jumped to his feet as Mr. Bates closed the door behind himself. Carson hadn't even heard the man walking in the hall. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he watched Bates with wide eyes. He couldn't understand why Bates would come to his bedroom after he had made a fool of himself in the bathroom. He was going to have to apologize to the man. Wasn't it awkward enough? Why did the man have to follow his to his room?

All his thoughts were pushed aside when Bates crashed into him and began to kiss him roughly. After a moment of shock, Carson found his hands roaming across Bate's back pulling him closer. Hands pulled at clothes as the two men moved across the room to the single bed. Bates shoved Carson back onto the bed and then straddled him to pull his face between his hands as they continued to kiss passionately.

Carson's breathing grew impossibly heavier as Bates kissed a trail down his neck to his chest and then lower. He gripped the valet's arms hard to look him in the eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked breathlessly.

"I've never been so sure of anything."

CBCBCBCB

"Carson, I hope you're not too upset with me about that whole Bates business yesterday. I just didn't think it right to sack a man for something that isn't his fault."

Lord Grantham had cornered him at the breakfast bar and Carson had looked at His Lordship in shock. He had almost forgotten about the entire debacle out in the drive when he had been forced to run after a car. And even now as he remembered it, he wasn't as humiliated as he thought he would be. The events of last night had seen to that.

"I was never upset, my Lord," he replied automatically.

"Well, I do hope it won't put you out too much to have Bates here."

"On the contrary, my Lord. I think Mr. Bates will do very nicely here. Very nicely indeed."


End file.
